If you’re making a military move to San Diego, it could be the start of an important task and an exciting new period in your life.
For service members and their families, relocating is common. But there are some cases where you get sent outside of the region you’re familiar with. These moves can cover long distances, and also last for long periods of time.
When you’ve got orders to put down roots in one of California’s top cities, you’ve got a big task in front of you. And if it’s a ways away, you’ll be there a while, you have family, or all of these are true, the move only becomes more complex.
This is where it pays to have a trusted team of San Diego military movers at your service. Military members know all about the value of teamwork and specialized knowledge – and our San Diego moving company brings both.
So how do you get ready for this move and ensure it’s carried out smoothly, for the sake of you, your military career, and your loved ones who rely on you?
Preparing to Move: Check Your Orders and Plan Ahead
You’ve got the news – your move is on track. The first step to processing the journey ahead of you is to thoroughly read, study, and understand the assignment you’ve been given.
Especially if it’s a permanent relocation, it’s wise to start quickly as soon as you have your orders. Moving dates can vary from many months to just a couple of weeks after the commands have been handed down.
Now is the time to plan ahead. What does that include? Consider matters like:
- When You’re Moving: Once you have a specific date in mind, you know the exact amount of time you have to work with. Factor in the time the transportation itself will take, and you’ll know how long you have to complete all necessary relocation tasks.
- Why You’re Moving: What task or job is motivating your San Diego military move? Once you know the reason you’re relocating and what’s expected of you, it’s much easier to find focus and get your mind set on the objective.
- Where You’re Moving: San Diego is a massive area with many different sections and neighborhoods. Research your area to find vital locations like doctors, dentists, grocery stores, and any other facilities you may need.
Once you’ve got these core questions covered, you can expand on the strategies to facilitate your move. Here’s where you take he somewhat hectic and unstable nature of moving, and give it logic and structure.
Consider the Parameters of Time and Funding
In addition to taking a lot of energy, your San Diego military move will also represent an investment of time and money. Research some average timelines and cost estimates so you can get an idea of how to carry out your move.
Which tasks will take the longest? Are there ways you can group services to save money? Thinking about these questions will lead right into the next aspect of the move planning process.
Think About Special Requirements for Your Move
Every move is different. The ease of the experience depends largely on how many belongings you have, and whether or not you have any items that could present problems during the relocation process. Think about:
- Heavy items such as large appliances and furniture
- Awkward items such as long shelves or tables
- Fragile items such as electronics or artwork
Once you know what your main concerns are with packing and loading items, you can find the right San Diego moving company to assist you. With their help, you can make the moving process easier. As they focus on moving your property, you can focus on what’s most important.
Inform and Prepare Your Family
For those military moves that involve the whole family, you have an extra level of preparation to complete. You’re not just making a big change in your life – you’re making a big change for everyone’s lives.
Maybe it’s their first move. Or if you’re one of those families that’s familiar with relocation, it could be your first time going such a long distance or heading to California. Luckily, there are a few ways you can help them get ready.
Start by briefing them about the change, the reason behind it, and the new area. You can help your spouse find a new place to work if they’re career focused, or help your children learn about the schools in the new area, so everyone has their own mission when they arrive.
Get Into the Moving Mindset
Military members and their families know all about mental strength. Relocating may be a big challenge, but you can rise to it with the right mindset. Remember to focus on the mission, stay positive, be present, and take everything one step at a time.
If you and yours need a little help adjusting before, during, or after the move, consider counseling options that may be offered by your military contacts. You could also connect with fellow military families for advice, inspiration, and support.
How to Make the Packing Process More Efficient
Now comes the time that most people dread during their relocation. Packing up your items can seem daunting at first, but there are some strategies that can greatly simplify and streamline the process.
Let’s start with your essential documents. Being a military member, you’re familiar with keeping proper forms and information on hand. Create a specialized binder with everything you need, including:
- Your orders
- Driver’s license, personal IDs, and Social Security card
- Medical information and insurance cards
- Birth certificates and marriage certificates
- School and employment records
- Education, training, and vocational certificates
- Vehicle documents
When you have all this information in one place, it’s much easier to gain the clearances you’ll need and move along your relocation proceedings. While you’re focused on gathering up the essentials, consider making a box of critical moving day supplies and keeping it with you.
This should include cleaning supplies for the new house, snacks, drinks, toys for your children or pets, any medicines you need, and other items that you would want to have within reach.
Ready Your Items for the Journey Ahead
Before you can worry about packing and loading items up, you need to take the preliminary steps to get everything ready.
For example, make sure you clean your uniforms and other delicate items like clothing, sheets, and drapes before packing them. This way dirt and debris won’t be ingrained into them when they’re in transit.
Another smart strategy is to use baggies. They’re perfect for small items like utensils, pens, small toys, and electronic cables. Speaking of cables, take a picture of hookups before disconnecting, so you can reconnect everything in the proper configuration.
Keeping with the theme of adding clarity to your move, consider making a detailed list of all items that need to go. You can categorize it by room, by which items you’ll need last (and thus can pack first), as well as which items could present the greatest packing difficulties.
Finally, label everything. When you know which items are where, it makes every aspect of your San Diego military move infinitely easier, from organizing items on the truck to unpacking them once you arrive.
Consider Downsizing Before Your Move
If there’s one way to make a move easier, it’s to travel light. When you’re taking inventory of your belongings, you may realize you don’t need to take absolutely everything with you right away. You may want to leave some items behind altogether, to be sold, donated, or recycled.
What’s the solution? Temporary storage units can be a huge help in this situation. The right San Diego moving company can provide you with professional storage services so you can downsize before your move, offload unnecessary items, and protect everything until you’re ready to access it.
Delegate Tasks to Professional Military Movers in San Diego
If you’re in the military, you know all about the value of teamwork. When a group of people come together on a complex task, they can manage it in a more efficient manner. The same is true for relocating, especially if you find a military moving specialist.
With experts handling your moving tasks, you can focus on being there for your family and preparing yourself for the mission ahead of you. Consider bringing in moving experts to handle the heavy lifting for you.
Let the Pros Pack and Unpack Your Items
Once you’ve made the list and you’ve decided what needs to go, you can give the orders and let your moving experts handle the rest. Not only will they get everything boxed up, but they can also help with unpacking once you arrive so you can acclimate to your new home even quicker.
Packing experts will also have the necessary boxes, padding, and wraps on hand – when you can get supplies and service from the same group, you save time and money.
Get Your Belongings Loaded and Unloaded Safely
Even for those who maintain an active lifestyle, lugging boxes and loading heavy items can be dangerous to both the property and the person handling it.
Professional movers bring the proper equipment to load and unload your items with care no matter how big, heavy, or fragile they may be. With experts working under your command, you won’t have to worry about this strenuous part of the move.
We’re the Best Fit for Your San Diego Military Move
Relocating yourself and your family for military matters is a big task. You have to juggle your commitment to the cause, the impact it has on your loved ones, and the overall toll it takes on your mental well-being.
If there’s one way to ease the strain of the whole situation, it’s to partner up with our San Diego military movers. Not only is Best Fit Movers committed to creating a satisfactory experience for every customer, we’re honored to work with service members and their families.
In addition to being experienced with this specific type of move, we also bring other credentials you can feel confident in. We are:
- Fully licensed and insured
- Highly reviewed by previous customers
- Rated an A+ with the Better Business Bureau
- Available seven days a week
Our full-service moving organization can handle every aspect of this process for you. This includes wrapping, padding, packing, loading, storage, transport, unloading, and unpacking. Pick the individual services you need, or get the complete package for a fully streamlined relocation.
Ready to get your San Diego military move on the road? We’re your partner for this important task, and you can rely on us to support you during the relocation process. We book up fast, so contact us today to begin planning your move – we’ll start you off with a free moving quote.
